“City Tree” premiers in the Hamburg metropolitan region

ECE launches fine dust reduction pilot project

The installation of the first “City Tree” in the Hamburg metropolitan region was celebrated at an event on ECE's corporate campus on Friday, June 9, 2017. The event was attended by Hamburg's Senator for the Environment and Energy, Jens Kerstan, District Mayor Thomas Ritzenhoff, and Peter Sänger, CEO and co-founder of Green City Solutions as well as ECE CEO Alexander Otto and ECE Managing Director Dr. Andreas Mattner.

This event marks the launch of another sustainability pilot project of ECE as part of its sustainability activities. It is a cooperation with Green City Solutions, who developed the “City Tree”. The “City Tree” is a mobile and flexible vertical plant display, which can be installed anywhere in a city. It filters the air and binds pollutants such as particulate matter (PM), nitrogen oxides, and CO2. In addition, the moss-covered, rectangular construction of four meters in height also produces oxygen. According to its inventor, one “City Tree” can absorb as many pollutants from the air as 275 fully-grown trees, which equals an area of the size of two-and-a-half soccer fields. Each of these biofilters can reduce air pollution within an area of 50 meters by up to 30%.

The installation can be equipped with benches and extras such as a Wi-Fi hotspot or e-bike charging stations. Due to its innovative technology, the use of solar power, and a built-in water tank, the installation requires only a few hours of maintenance every year.

Politics, the economy, and consumers have to do their share in fighting air pollution in metropolitan areas. ECE, as a responsible and sustainability-focused company that operates properties in many major cities and metropolitan areas promotes and supports solutions that help reducing air pollution. By installing the “City Tree”, the company launches a new sustainability project that helps cleaning the air. Thus, ECE is the first company in Northern Germany that tests this innovative concept on its own premises to gain experience with the installation for a possible use at other locations.

“ECE has been continuously investing in innovative sustainable future projects. This includes technological measures and innovations as well as the sensitive use of natural resources. By installing the “City Tree” on our company campus, we add another piece to our sustainability strategy puzzle. We therefore regard ourselves as drivers who implement innovative ideas, e.g. of other companies,” said Alexander Otto.

“We are very pleased to support this exciting innovation of young and successful Green City Solutions,” adds Dr. Andreas Mattner.

Green City Solutions is a German start-up headquartered in Berlin. The company has been awarded several times for its “City Tree” concept. It was recently honored with the title of “most innovative real estate start-up”.